TNAG-2225-FCO40-3196-Political-relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Australia-1991 — Page 65

Mr Burns

HKB020/5

1R12

Miss Marsden Ms Major

25

W20%

FROM:

DATE:

H LI Davies

Far Eastern Department

19 February 1991

CC:

Mr Thomas, SPD

Mr Colvin, SEAD Mr Williams, SAD Mr Paul,

HKD

Mr offore

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for HK | 02 a

Oz

Ceither EPL?

Pu 2012.

UK/AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL TALKS

1.

You asked us to consider what we might extract from these talks and whether there were any issues for you to raise in the margins.

2. It is always useful to talk to the Australians about Asian affairs. They have a slightly different perceptive because of their regional relationships, and they tend to spend rather more time on detailed analysis than we can afford to do. I find Australian insights on China particularly valuable. That said, the following subjects would all be worth covering:

(a)

China:

(b)

(c)

Exchange of views on the current domestic scene and prospects; China's international role and its continued attempts to project itself regionally; international response to human rights issues (and Tibet) and their likely effect on Chinese attitudes, internally and in relation to the West.

Taiwan:

Exchange of information about our respective policies towards Taiwan, particularly air services, unofficial representative offices, Taiwan and the GATT; prospects for closer contacts between Taiwan and China.

Korea:

Exchange of information about North/South relations, prospects for the North, and prospects

HDI AFP

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